No Fate
by eaglebeagle
Summary: Is Skynet really gone? Multi-chapter adventure featuring Kyle, Sarah and Pops. Set after the events of Terminator Genisys. First chapter is rated M. Will eventually be from Sarah and Kyle's POVs.
1. Chapter 1: Sarah

It wasn't ever really about having a choice that made me bitter. It was more along the lines of having to give up someone I love – again. The first time I was told about Kyle Reese, I was just a kid. I didn't know that feelings were possible until I couldn't deny how attractive he was blowing up the T-1000 with a grenade launcher. Even then, I didn't know what it meant to love someone until I heard about our son through his memories. And then he went and ruined it. He said he would die for me.

In that moment, something inside of me broke because I knew that he wasn't lying. I knew because it was supposed to happen.

Maybe that selfish thinking was why I wanted to jump into the future. It wasn't just about creating a new life for me or for the world. I wanted to build a world that was better. It wasn't for me or for John. It was for Kyle Reese.

And now we have a chance. At least, I hope.

Kyle sits behind me in the truck, and I can't help the occasional glances out my window. I know he's watching me, and after the kiss we shared I know I can't deny fate. It might be my fate to love Kyle Reese, but it doesn't have to be my fate to lose him. He thinks he's the only one who can protect me, but someone out there sent Pops.

We drive in silence until we get to a city. On its outskirts, there's a hotel. Pops knows how much I love a hot shower after a long night, and I doubt Kyle will protest to a decent night of sleep in a hotel. He leans forward in his seat, prodding me with the back of his hand. I see what he points my attention to. The hotel has a dog sitting outside, and I nod.

"Pops, you're going to have to stay in the car while we get the room," I tell him.

"No need," he says. "While you rest, I will acquire a new vehicle and supplies."

As we get out of the car a block away, I hear Pops give Kyle a warning about watching over me for the night. It makes me smirk and roll my eyes. I feel him near as we walk to the lobby. The dog sniffs us both, only growling slightly until Kyle's hands go to its muzzle. The black thing's tail starts wagging, and we walk past it.

When I open the door for myself, I notice it's lighter than I expected. Glancing to him, his hand is very near mine. I can feel his breaths on my skin and along the stray strands of my hair. Our eyes meet, lingering just a second too long. My eyes are on his lips again, but the attendant gets our attention. Something about letting the cold air in.

We check in, and I'm too aware of where he is the whole time. Every time he comes closer, I feel my heart race just a little faster.

"There's only one room available, ma'am," the attendant tells me. "It's got a queen size bed, though."

Suddenly I'm infinitely more aware of Kyle being there. My eyes widen as I stare at the attendant. I hear Kyle clear his throat, and I force myself to close my mouth.

"Can you provide a roller bed?" I ask with a smile, choosing to ignore Kyle's reaction.

"It's going to be extra," he tells me.

I nod in agreement, and I sign the bill for the room and the roller bed. My hands are clumsy as I hand over the cash for the room, and I end up dropping the change. Kyle notices, but he doesn't say anything. I can handle any combat, but I was never trained for this. Maybe Kyle is right. Maybe I'm not good at relationships because of Pops.

But at least I'm alive to remedy that.

Kyle closes the door behind him, and I turn on the lamp beside the bed. My legs feel weak, and so does the rest of me. But I don't shower yet. Instead, I check everything in the room. Unhooking the television and the phone, I look around for any sign of intrusion.

"Skynet is gone, Sarah," Kyle tells me again. "You don't have to keep looking in the dark alleys for some machine."

"Old habits are the hardest to give up," I say.

"How about we just stop avoiding each other and get to the point here," he says. My eyebrows furrow as he crosses the room to stand in front of the only window where I've shut the curtains. "We need to talk about John."

I gulp, not sure if I'm ready for this. Straightening my shoulders, I level my eyes with his as best I can.

"What about John?" I ask, feigning ignorance.

"I don't want you to remember the John you saw," he says.

Oh. I feel myself relax. I thought for a second he was going to mention that we're supposed to be conceiving him right now. I've already come to grips with that. In fact, the moment I saw John in that hospital I knew I wanted him. No matter what it took. Call it a mother's instant love. And I really don't know how to tell Kyle that I want "it" to happen.

"I don't want anyone to remember him as the thing he became," he says. "I want you to remember him the way I remember him."

"I don't want to remember him, Kyle," I tell him honestly.

I want to tell him that I want to know John. I want to have him, and I want to raise him as a family. Normal. But he cuts me off as I'm trying to form the words. Kyle's hands go through his hair, and he shakes his head with a sigh. He looks like he's in pain, and I feel a pang deep in my chest. I walk to stand in front of him.

"Sarah, please," he whispers. "He was my best friend. He was the only thing that mattered to me growing up. And then when I fell in love with a woman in a photograph after hearing stories about her, I didn't know what to think. But he knew. John Connor saved me in every way he could."

He's rambling, and for a second I let him keep going as I slowly make my way to him. He really does love John. Finally, the only thing I can think of to make him stop is to stand on my tiptoes, clasp my hands behind his neck and reach up to kiss him. Our mouths connect, and instantly electricity claws across my body. Trails of fire sizzle along my skin as his lips take mine. His mouth is hotter than any fire, blazing across my skin as his lips trace a line from my mouth to my jaw and then to my shoulder and back.

My hand reaches for his face, and his hand seizes mine. He stops me, and I purse my lips in protest. Our eyes connect, hot with lust and deep want. Slowly, his lips touch the tips of my fingers, and I can't help the fluttering in my stomach. I inch closer again, so that our mouths can find each other again.

His kiss isn't hungry like it was before. It's deep and promising. Warm and wet. His lips overtake mine, and I rise to meet him. My hands run along his chest, his stomach, his back, his neck. I am searching for something, but I don't know what. Kyle reaches around me, his hands searching, too, along my back, thighs and neck. It's not a frantic act. It's like our hands want to memorize every curve of our bodies in this moment.

I break away, breathless. Kyle's forehead rests against mine, and he steps back to the wall to remove his shirt. I almost forgot how beautiful he is, even with the scars from war. My hands fumble with mine, and nervous energy melts into an overwhelming need to be near him. Our shirts mangle together on the floor. Soon, we are stripped of all clothing.

We stand there, looking at each other naked for the second time, and my nerves return. Kyle doesn't look as comfortable as he did before, either. My eyes can't look away from him, though. Every inch of him is mine, just like every inch of me is his. Something builds inside of me. A want for him. No, this is much, much stronger. I need him.

We are so close now. So incredibly close that I can feel electricity charging along my body.

"I love you," I say, and while I mean it with everything inside of me, I don't know if he hears me. The words are subdued by his lips. But I think he hears, because his body responds by doubling all efforts.

My arms go around his neck, and his arms hold me against him. His kiss is deep and ravishing. He kisses my lips, then my jaw, neck and shoulders. My head tilts back, and I can't stop myself from pushing him against the wall. I want to be so close to him. Nothing is enough. Kyle cups my breasts in his hands, and when his lips find those, too, I lose all coherent thought. My breath catching in my throat makes him laugh softly, almost teasing. He stops, though, when my hands find his manhood. It's a hard thing, and the second I find it, I can't believe how forward I am.

"You need to sit down," I tell him in a ragged breath.

"You're pretty demanding for someone so small," he whispers as he nibbles on my ear.

Kyle smiles as he sits on the bed with his back against the headboard. I follow him, trailing kisses along his chest, stomach and finally his lips. When my lips unite with his, the hunger has returned. Groaning and moaning between our kisses, I straddle him. Slowly, tantalizingly, I lower myself onto him.

"Oh God, Sarah," he says, dragging a hissing breath.

My reaction is almost the same. It's a foreign and unfamiliar feeling to have him inside of me. It doesn't hurt nearly as bad as I thought it would. I move slowly, getting accustomed to the feeling. But every time he leaves me, I am met with an instant and overwhelming urge for him to come back. Kyle's lips are on my breasts again, and my fingers claw first the headboard and then his back. Tiny bits of electricity feel like they're building into something explosive in my stomach.

"Kyle," I whimper as I cradle his head in front of my breasts. I kiss his forehead and let my fingers run through his hair.

"Not yet, Sarah," he says as his hands move to my hips.

Suddenly I am on the bed, lying on my back. Kyle is on top of me, and a teasing grin is on his face. Our lips are together again, soft and comforting, but he moves away.

"Close your eyes," he whispers.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"Do you trust me?" he counters with a teasing glare in his eyes.

"Always," I whisper as my eyes close.

I can feel him instead of see him. I feel his warm breath as he kisses first my forehead, then lingers at my lips.

Now he moves down to my jaw. I feel his soft, hot lips along my body, and every time I try to react his hands stop me. Finally, I give up altogether. I relish the feeling, the rush of energy that fills me more with every tender touch.

He kisses my collarbone, my breasts, my stomach. Then he moves down to my feet and inches up them. Kyle's lips are on the inside of my thigh when I sit up straight, breathless again as my heart races like a wild rabbit. He doesn't stop me, though. Instead, he laughs.

"I'm shocked you made it that long," he teases.

He settles on top of me again, and slips inside me without much effort. My body has become accustomed to him. There is nothing dangerous or dark about him right now. In his eyes, there is a light I can't look away from. And as he thrusts, he doesn't damage me in any way. He is slow, gentle, wonderful. The want, the warm need, is filling me again. Something in my chest aches.

"I love you," I tell him again, not sure if he hears me since the words are muffled and quiet. "More than you'll ever know."

Our lips come crashing into one another, and he props himself up on his elbows, his forehead settling against the side of my neck. Normally, I would feel claustrophobic in such a position, but I don't mind it. His hands knot into my hair, and mine press against his back. I press him against me. I want to occupy the same body, to show him how much I love him. Words won't ever be enough, but at least I can try.

He becomes more urgent above me. His kisses are deep, hungry and needing. I feel that electricity building inside of me again, and I know I can't hold on anymore. I don't want to. As soon as I shatter, I feel him explode, too. I am jolted with ecstasy, and we both soar together and fall together. A salty kiss is the last thing we exchange before he collapses beside me, and our panting breaths are all we hear.

I curl my body into his, and lay my head on a spot where his chest and shoulder come together. His arm cradles me, stroking my hair, while the other one holds my hand on his chest. The feel of his heart beating against my hand is comforting. Outside, I can hear the sounds of the city. But I can't bring myself to pay attention to anything but Kyle. I sit up, my hair falling in curls around my face.

"I love you," I whisper. "Forever."

The look on his face is nothing short of adoration. It must match mine. Kyle smiles, and his hand touches my cheek. I tilt my head into his touch, forgetting the times I've been hit there. Nothing else matters. Nothing but us.

"I love you, too," he says. "More than you will ever know."

I smile at his words, and he rises to meet me. Our lips touch in a soft kiss.


	2. Chapter 2: Kyle

Her skin is still flushed, a soft pink color compared to the normal ivory. I run my fingers over her arm, softly feeling the goosebumps settling on her skin. With a small smile, my palm goes across her and brings her closer to me. She smiles, and we mold our bodies together underneath the sheets of the bed.

"When was the last time you had a hot shower?" Sarah asks.

"About two years ago," I tell her as we settle together. "John and I raided a Skynet compound where they kept humans captured. If you offered good intelligence, they gave you an apartment with all the amenities."

My eyes go to the ceiling, and I remember what kind of cowards did it. There are deserters in every place you go, so it's not a complete surprise. But to betray all of mankind because you think some machine is going to have mercy on you is the most ignorant thought I have ever heard.

"They were rarely used," I go on. "But once we took control of it we all got an apartment each for the night. John said it was a reminder of what we were fighting for. We lived like kings for that night."

"Seems like a tactical disadvantage," she says. She really was raised by a terminator. "Letting everyone sleep with their guard down."

"We reprogrammed a bunch of terminators to stand guard," I respond. "Then John and I took shifts to watch them."

My hand traces her arm again, grazing softly over the skin. She seems to fight her exhaustion by rubbing her hand gently across my chest. She fits so easily in my arms. I don't want to sleep, but I also don't want this to end. Ever.

We lay there in each other's embraces for a long time. I'm almost asleep when I remember the endless supply of hot water there is here.

"You can take the first shower."

I can feel her slowly wake. Lifting herself, she props herself up on her elbow. My hands trace over her jaw, and she smiles a flirtatious grin at me.

"I was thinking we both take the first shower."

The words might as well be a prayer from long ago answered. Every part of me responds, and I take her face gently. Pulling her down to me again, our lips meet. My mouth covers hers, but she pulls back and comes at me again to overtake my lips. We fight for dominance, but then we both end up surrendering. I don't care about tomorrow. All I know is that this is how it's supposed to be.

We leave the comforting warmth of the bed for the shower, only breaking apart when we have to turn the hot water on. Sarah's fingers lace into my hair and along the back of my neck. I grab her and lift her onto the vanity while the steam from the shower starts to fog the room. Her tongue runs across mine, and she wraps her legs around my waist. I'm going to come undone again.

My hands cup her breasts, massaging them slowly before I cradle her face and bring her body as close as I can to mine. She presses against me, and her hands find every inch of me. When I tuck my head down to kiss the sensitive area between her neck and ear, I feel her teeth and tongue on my earlobe. She takes it in her mouth and sucks on it. Without thought, I let out a groan and feel myself respond. I grip the sides of the vanity for support and tell myself not to lose it.

But I want to make her feel the same way. I tear my lips away from her body, watching her as she looks at me with a curious expression on her face. I want her more than anything I've ever wanted, but I also want to please her. She is the most precious thing in the world. I want to cherish her for whatever amount of time we have.

I lift her from the vanity, and we make our way into the hot water together. When we're under the warm jets, Sarah reaches for the shampoo first while I relax under the heat. She runs her fingers through my hair while I take her in. I press myself against her, evoking a few moans. It becomes an unspoken game where I tease her while she tries to get me clean. She rinses my hair and lathers my body, giving particular attention to my loins.

When her hands surround me, I freeze. The soap makes her hands glide easily, and I am having trouble remembering that this is a game. My eyes close, and my head falls back slightly. She quickens her effort, changing the pace as often as she can until she's satisfied that I'm on the brink. And she's not wrong.

"My turn," I whisper to her. She responds with a smile.

I start with her hair. The entire time I'm rubbing the shampoo in and rinsing it, I make sure to press myself against her. She responds by running her fingers along my body, and while I try to ignore it I can't fight my response on several occasions. When finally I'm ready for the soap, I turn her to face away from me. Her hands are behind her back, playfully rubbing the length of my manhood. I grab the soap, and I lather my hands and run them across her breasts first. Softly, my lips press against her shoulders as I work the suds across her entire front portion.

When my fingers find the most sensitive spot between her legs, she gasps. Her legs instantly part wider, and I know I've won this game. But in reality, I'm lost to her. My fingers rub diligently as my lips locate her ear, and I tease her as she did me. It makes her hands completely stop, and I can feel her starting to tremble. She grabs my hips, pulling me in her direction.

That's when I tell myself that the game is over. I don't even bother rinsing her. Instead, I release her. Sarah turns towards me, her mouth opening to find mine again. As my tongue finds her lips, she closes her mouth around it, sucking it. When she releases it, I playfully bite her lip. But one look in her eyes, and she knows we're both done playing. Grabbing one of her legs and hooking it around my hip, I slip inside of her.

I'm once again without a rational thought when she surrounds me. It feels like home. Like I've woken up on Christmas morning. I start a rhythm. Sarah is so close to her limit, and I know I'm not far behind her with the noises she's making now. The noises I'm causing her to make are the most beautiful sounds in the world, but they only drive me that much closer to the edge.

Her lips crash into mine, biting and kissing. The shower's water runs across our bodies, and all I can do is hope I can last as long as it takes until she's ready. I tell myself to hold on. For her. But the sound of her breath catching, her gasps and the way she's trying so hard to show me how much she wants everything I have is enough to drive me into oblivion.

But I do hold on by kissing her. She still makes the same sounds, though muffled with my mouth. Her nails drag along my back, and I don't know how much longer I can keep going. It's not just sex. It's the expression of love with our bodies, uniting our souls and binding us together forever. It's about love. The kind of love that's worth saving. The kind of love war is fought for. This is what the books were all written about.

I feel her falling apart around me, trembling as she breaks her lips away from mine into an uncontrollable scream. I'm not very far behind her. The second after I feel her walls finally relax around me is when I lose everything. Her name is the only sound I make, and it's a rasping whisper into her ear.

Releasing her leg, I take a step away from her. Sarah wraps her arms around me, and together we finish rinsing her body. We turn off the shower and make our way back to our bed. The knock on the door startles us, and I let her cover herself with a sheet. Handing her a handgun, our eyes meet for a moment as I silently count off opening the door.

The attendant from the hotel smiles as I open the door with nothing but a towel on. He glances at me, but takes notice when Sarah walks out in just a towel as well. I don't like the look on his face, and I immediately take a step between the two.

"Will you still be needing the roller bed?" The attendant's weasel smile makes me uncertain whether I want to punch him in the throat or just tell him no. But I glance to Sarah, letting this be her decision, as always.

"No, thank you," she tells the attendant. "Just refund us when we check out tomorrow."

"Are you sure, miss?" he asks. "I could always come back with the cash in hand."

Definitely punch in the throat. My eyes narrow on him, and he keeps up with the smile. Without letting her respond, I shut the door.

"Creep," she says as she crosses her arms. "You saw me naked and didn't even make things that uncomfortable."

"Is that your way of saying I'm your knight in shining armor?" I ask as we pull the covers of the bed back. I settle back onto the bed, and she tosses me my clothes. "What's this for?"

She rolls her eyes.

"Pops is coming back, you know."

Right. The terminator that raised her. I've never seen a terminator as anything to get attached to, but she has. Part of me wonders how John would react in the situation she was placed in, and then I realize that it's entirely possible we might have just ensured his survival. But no matter what, I won't let what happened to the John of my memory happen to this one. It's still insane for me to realize he is my son. Or was. Or will be.

Sighing, I slide back into the bare minimum clothes and lift the covers for Sarah to join me. She fits against me again, and I curl my arms around her. We rest there for a long while. Our fingers knit themselves together. So do our legs. And my last lingering thought before I do drift off to sleep is about something Sarah said.

"We meet. We fall in love. You father John. And in less than 48 hours, you die."

I hold her tight against me as the memory surfaces. In the fading light of the city lights, I brush her hair from her sleeping face, close my eyes and hold on to this memory. I want to savor every moment I can. If I only have 48 more hours to live, then I might as well make every single one of them count for something. I refuse to give up unless I can show her just how much I want to stay.

Beside me, the cell phone we purchased rings. I look at the clock. We've been asleep for no more than three hours. Pops has to know we need more sleep than this. Grabbing it, I gently sneak out of the bed and slip into the bathroom. As I close the door behind me, I answer it.

"Yeah, Pops?" I ask.

"Is Sarah Connor asleep?" he asks.

"She just went to sleep," I tell him. "Should I wake her, or are you allowed to tell me why you're calling?"

"My mission parameters are to keep Sarah Connor alive," he says. "But you should know that I have seen on the news that Skynet is not gone."

The high I've been on since Sarah's kiss sinks to the pit of my stomach. Fear claws at my mind like a rabid animal. My mouth goes dry.

"How is that even possible?" I ask. "We bombed the whole damn facility! How could something have survived?"

I'm starting to feel that familiar fight or flight instinct rise, but I ignore it. Taking a deep breath, I resolve myself to not tell Sarah until she's slept. I look at myself in the mirror.

"Bring us some clothes, food, and whatever intelligence you can find," I tell him through the phone. "I'll let Sarah know."

Pops agrees, and I hang up the phone. The nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach feels like it's rising to the back of my throat.

"Let Sarah know what?" I hear from behind me.

Turning to her, I'm frozen. I don't want to tell her. I just want to go back to bed, wake up and never have to worry about Skynet again. But I can't. We can't.

"What is it? Was that Pops?" she asks. "Did he get himself arrested again?"

Normally I'd ask about the story behind that remark, but all I can do is think that I don't have much time left. That I can't tell her and share with her everything I've ever wanted. That my last moments with John were when he was the enemy.

"It was Pops," I tell her. "Let's sit."


	3. Chapter 3: Sarah

That feeling a person gets when they've discovered their bank account is overdrawn sinks in. It's like you knew it was going to happen but still kept spending money anyway. And now there are fees upon fees added to your already depleted account. That flashing red number makes you sick. But for me, it's the red glowing eyes of a terminator looking back at me through the darkness. And I am all that stands between it and my family.

"What do you mean Skynet is back?" I ask as I sit on the bed next to Kyle. "How is that possible?"

"I know. I said the same thing." He's not touching me, and I appreciate that for once. My mind is moving at a blinding pace, and I can't process what I've just been told.

"No. No, no, no," I say. "This isn't happening. We won!"

My hand goes to my stomach. All I can think about is what I've been told all my life. That I meet Kyle. We fall in love. He fathers John. And then I lose him. Forever. That feeling magnifies like a thousand tons of weight being dropped onto my chest. It's getting harder to breathe.

"Forty-eight hours," I whisper as the reality hits me. My eyes go to him, and suddenly I'm almost angry. "How are you so calm right now? Don't you understand what this means?"

"I kind of knew when I volunteered for this just what was going to happen," he says with a shrug. "And I wouldn't change anything."

That nagging fear laces inside of me. I feel a panic attack coming on, and I've never felt so weak. Thankfully, Kyle's hand reaches for mine. It's not enough, so he takes my face in his hands.

"I can't do it," I tell him. "I am not strong enough."

I'm being irrational, but I don't care. Everyone needs a freak-out moment, and this is mine.

"Sarah," Kyle tells me. His eyes are looking at me like he knows that this is just my initial reaction to hearing this. He knows me better than anyone, I finally admit to myself. "John told me all about what happens next if I do die. I know you're strong enough."

Deep down, his words make me ache inside. They slice through me, cracking the foundations. My eyes narrow on his, and my hands go to his wrists.

"You're giving up."

"No," he says. "I'm just saying that I'm aware of what could happen next, and I'm okay with it."

"No," I tell him.

Standing, I start gathering everything and shoving it into the bags we came in with. I take the batteries out of the remotes and televisions. I even manage to grab a few things we may end up needing along the way, like the extra toiletries and the notepad.

"Sarah." Kyle follows me, and when my name comes out of his mouth it's like he's hurting again.

"No!" I yell at him. Turning to face him, my tears are starting to ruin my eyesight. Luckily, he's big enough that I can see his movements. He stops in his tracks and lets me finish. "You don't understand. Everything we've gone through, everything we just _did_ , everything I did to prepare for you coming, meant something to me. I need you to get it through your thick skull that I'm not going to just let whatever happens happen."

Kyle takes a few steps closer, extending his hand to me.

"And neither am I," he says softly. "We're going to fight this. Together."

I don't take his hand just yet, but he doesn't withdraw it.

"Exactly," I say. Now is when I take the last few steps towards him. Pushing his hand away from me, I drop the bag and let my arms travel around him. He holds me, and I feel like I'm whole for the first time in my life. He lets me keep talking while he strokes my hair. "So stop even thinking about how if this is it, you're okay with it. Because I don't care what you say, I'm not okay with it. I didn't ask for this, and I don't want it! You're going to stay with me, and you're going to accept my and Pops's protection."

"Protection?" I hear him say. There's a tone of dread and sarcasm.

"Yes," I tell him as I pull away. My eyes find his and don't let him look away. "And we're going to stop Skynet from ever being born. Otherwise, anybody not wearing two million sunblock is going to have a real bad day when it comes online."

Kyle gives me a sideways glance. I can tell something is processing in his mind. I'm not sure I like it.

"What do you mean by _protection_?" he asks with a raised eyebrow.

"I mean that you are not going to take any unnecessary risks for the next few days," I say quickly. Before he can react, I pick up the bag and continue grabbing whatever free supplies I think we might need. I hear him getting irritated. I know it's going to be a fight, but I'm already preparing for that.

"Wasn't it you who was just complaining about being locked in a room?" he asks.

Mentally, I kick myself for not preparing an argument for this. Somewhere out there is a storm. It's brewing. The darkness is coming, and all I can think about is saving Kyle Reese. The man sent by his son to save his mother. The man I've managed to naively fall in love with in just a matter of days. So far, we've proven that you can't change fate. Turning to him, I give my best argument.

"You can still fight, Kyle," I tell him. "But how can we expect to change Judgment Day when we can't change this?"

This takes him by surprise, and I hate the look on his face. I hate having to pull this card, but it's a reality we have to face. If we can't stop this one thing from happening – the death of one man – then how did we expect to truly beat Skynet before its birth? Kyle is processing this, and finally he speaks.

"Have you ever wondered if maybe it's always that John Connor lives only if Kyle Reese dies?"

I have to force my jaw to stay shut when I hear what he's saying. It's all I can do but to shake my head.

"No," I reply. "I'm not thinking like that."

Kyle takes my hands in his. My eyes automatically go to his, and I'm reminded of the way he looked at me when he told me in the bunker that Skynet was gone. He has the same look in his eyes now. He's serious.

"Sarah, listen to me. I was there. Not for the first part of John's life, but the last part," he says. The words make me want to vomit. The reality behind them makes me want to find every part of Skynet and kill it. All of it. I want to protect John and Kyle and the rest of the world from this fate. "The world is going to need him. Humanity is going to need him. I've seen who else will step up to the plate. No one else is going to do what he did. If it comes down to him or me, I'm always going to pick him. And that's not just because he's my son."

I grip his hands.

"I know, Kyle," I tell him. The tears are spilling down my face now. I'm so angry, so sad, so tired of fighting. I'm a bundle of emotions running on fear. "But I've already lost everyone else. Why do I have to lose you, too?"

Our eyes meet, and his mouth is already coming closer.

"You'll never lose me," he says as he comes in for a kiss. "No matter what happens, I'm always yours."

I raise my head to meet him. But just as our lips connect, there's another knock on the door. Exchanging a small smile with me, Kyle walks to the. Wiping my tears with the back of my hands, I take a deep breath. Pops will know what to do. His presence will be a welcomed relief aside from having to admit that we had finally mated. At least that wouldn't be brought up again.

But Kyle doesn't really say anything. Finally, in the silence, we hear the dog going crazy outside. That's when my cell phone rings.

"Pops," I say. "We're in room—"

"Sarah Connor and Kyle Reese must evacuate," he says. "Another terminator is on its way to your location."

I hang up immediately. Grabbing the bag and everything I can manage in the span of two seconds, Kyle doesn't even ask questions. He starts to go to the door, where the knocking has persisted. But I grab him and shake my head.

"Sarah," he tells me. I know the look on his face. It's the same look my dad had on his face when he told me to run and not look back.

"No," I growl. "You go. I'll catch up."

Making a lunge for the cell phone, I look to the window to see not Pops but the hotel attendant.

"Hello," I tell him.

"Oh, I was just checking to make sure you're sure you don't need that roller bed," he says. "We had someone who was asking for it, and I thought it'd be worth it to make sure before I give it away."

Kyle is beside me now, his eyes glaring and a little red.

"We're fine, thank you," I say with as polite a smile I can muster. "We were just going out for a walk and to put our luggage up before we head out."

"Oh, okay," he says. I can tell he's feeling a little defeated, but I also hear the dog's barking get worse. "Well I guess I should go see what's wrong with the dog."

Kyle's hand goes to the attendant's arm as we all hear the dog squeal.

"No use, man," he tells him. "That dog's dead. Go to the office and call the police."

The man tries to protest, and finally Kyle knocks him unconscious. It occurs to me that he really does act similar to Pops, but I stifle the thought until we're out of the situation. Hiding him in some bushes, we make our way towards the street. Looking back, I see the terminator. It's a younger version of Pops.

"What about all of the people?" I ask.

"We can't go back for them," Kyle says as he takes my arm and leads me towards the street. "We keep going until we find Pops."

Stubbornly, I yank my arm from him. I'm tired of running, preparing, fighting. Glancing back, I see that the terminator is in the office. The dog is dead outside, and I see the machine logging onto the computer. When he looks up, he sees me standing there with Kyle. It takes him less than a second to stop what he's doing and start heading in our direction.

"Shit," I say. "We should probably run."

"Over here," Kyle says through gritted teeth.

He leads me to a parking lot where a transfer truck driver has stopped for the night, but the truck is still running. Standing near his vehicle, he looks like he's talking to a scantily dressed woman. The terminator is already running across the street. We climb in, and Kyle starts it up. The machine is drawing a weapon and firing. Both the woman and the driver are dead instantly. Shifting the gears, Kyle and I spin off as fast as he can. It's a big vehicle, so it takes a few seconds before we reach a decent speed.

"Where is he?" Kyle demands.

I hang my head out of the window. The wind makes it harder to hear him, and my hair is a mess as it wraps around my face and intrudes in my eyesight.

"I don't know!" I yell back. "I can't see him!"

Suddenly I do see the machine. He's climbing towards us along the truck's side!


	4. Chapter 4: Kyle

The tires squealing in protest on the pavement is the only thing I hear besides Sarah yelling as she hangs out of the window. The wind rushes through the window, and out of instinct my hand goes to her to help her back into the truck. She fights me, though, and it takes only a second to register what's wrong as I look past her and to the mirror beside her. As I've leaned over towards her, the angle is just right to see something hanging onto the side of the truck.

The terminator. It's at the back of the truck's trailer and slowly climbing along the side.

I mentally curse to myself and fight away the dread in the pit of my stomach. But then I change tactics altogether. My hand weaves around to the seat between us where the bag is. Inside, I grab the first gun I can find and hand it to Sarah. Our eyes meet, and for a second we have a moment where we linger just a little too long.

In that connected moment, we share an unspoken acknowledgement that this could be it. I want to tell her that I'm still fine with whatever happens. I want to let her know that while it isn't fair, I'll still be in John's life when she can't be. That if there is anything after death, I'll be with them. The moment lasts for a little more than a second. After that, we focus on everything that needs to happen to clear ourselves.

"Keep him occupied," I tell her.

Her only reply is a nod as she takes the gun. Speeding up, I hear Sarah fire off a few rounds into the machine. She doesn't fire them off all at the same time in a panic. Instead, she picks and chooses when to fire. She's a trained soldier; it took me years not to panic and waste ammunition.

"This isn't powerful enough," she yells to me.

I look around her to the terminator. It's halfway to us.

"Tell me something I don't know!"

Suddenly Sarah jerks forward and further out of the window. I only register that she's being shot at as she ducks her head and tries to fire back. I respond by grabbing her and pulling her into the truck. The mirror is hit, but the bullet only catches it enough to crack it. The terminator is still advancing; it's three-quarters of the way to us.

Jerking the wheel first to the left and then to the right while gaining speed, I can only hope the machine will just take part of the truck with it as it gets thrown. But the movement at this speed only makes it pause in its course of climbing closer to the cabin. I don't stop the maneuvers though. Noticing the machine's position, I spot a truck merging onto the highway. Veering towards it, I see the driver's reaction first to someone hanging off the side of our truck but then as he realizes what I'm about to do.

The truck is quick to adjust, but not quick enough. I slam the terminator into the car, but it doesn't let go. I keep the steering wheel adjusted so that we're running side by side with the car for as long as we can. Still, the terminator doesn't budge from our vehicle. Not even when Sarah again hangs herself out of the window to fire a few shots does he move.

Finally, the truck has slammed on its brakes. The tires scream in protest, and my eyes look at the terminator in the mirror to confirm it's still there. It now is at the point where the truck and the cabin connect. It's too close.

"This isn't working, Reese!" she yells as she climbs back into the car to reload. I hear a gun fire, and Sarah leans back out of the window.

"What happened?" I ask, but I already know the answer.

"He shot our tires," she tells me. "We're losing speed!"

I realize our tires are going before she says it. The truck is getting harder to steer, and everything feels a sluggish to respond. We were hitting 60MPH, but now it's declining steadily. Every time we lose speed, my heart seems to find it.

My eyes search for anything that I can hope to use to defend us. Sarah has maybe another clip of ammunition left, and I'm running out of ideas. The terminator is at Sarah's window finally, with a gun drawn and pointed at her. Switching from gas to brakes is an easy maneuver, but I swear I can't do it fast enough. The terminator is thrown from the car, but it manages to grab onto the side of the car between the windshield and her mirror. Straddling the hood of the car, I can see the damaged machine's red eyes glowing as half of its face is missing.

I speed up again, and as I do, I take the gun from Sarah and point it to the terminator. Its gun dropped when I slammed on the brakes. Both of its hands are holding it on, and for once I've got the upper hand. I fire a few shots directly towards the eyes. I know there's a weak spot there. If I can damage the way the computer sees, I damage it enough to reprogram it. The machine must know what I'm thinking because it suddenly lets go as soon as I slam on the brakes again.

The machine's grip falters, and it disappears underneath the truck. Breathing a sigh of relief, I look at Sarah. It's only now that I can check her if she's hurt. She doesn't seem to be. Sarah Connor certainly lives up to her reputation. She's got a few cuts and scrapes, but it's nothing life threatening. We may be able to limp back to town if I can coax some speed out of the truck.

"We need to find Pops," I tell her.

"I'm out of ammunition," she says.

"We'll find Pops and resupply," I respond. "Are you okay?"

She doesn't answer. Instead, all she does is keep looking out her window.

"Sarah," I say. Still, she doesn't say anything. The look on her face is the same one John always had when he was getting ready to give bad news. Troops lost, lives gone or some base discovered by Skynet. "Sarah!"

She responds when I yell and grab her by the shoulder.

"He never came out of the back," she tells me.

Glancing down, I realize our gas tank is slowly being depleted. We're already down to less than a quarter tank. And there are other things not working. Jerking the wheel to the right and left again, I feel things starting to fight me rather than go easily with my commands.

"He's underneath us!" I yell.

The words are useless, though. Up ahead about twenty yards, there's a sharp curve in the road. There's a sign about using caution due to the drop. I grab Sarah and point it out to her.

"We're still losing speed," I tell her. "But we might be able to make it."

Setting the cruise control, I take hold of the bag, and our only other loaded weapon spills out. No sooner do I do that than the floor underneath us gets ripped out. The glowing eyes catch mine, and I see the caught gun emerge before I can figure out how to get Sarah out of there. She screams, and I scream, too, at her.

"Sarah, get out of here!" I yell. "Go!"

She doesn't hesitate before she opens her door and jumps from the truck.

"It's just you and me now, you fucker," I tell the machine through gritted teeth.

Its gun aims at me, but its arm is caught in a way that it can't make a clean kill shot. I start to climb out, but the machine shoots. The sudden pain in my leg makes me stop everything I'm doing. I can feel the warm, wet blood already starting to fall down my leg. The terminator goes to shoot again, but as soon as it pulls the trigger, only a click sound can be heard. Realizing this is my only chance, I steer the truck to the cliff ahead and hold onto the wheel.

The terminator drops the gun and grabs my injured leg. Letting out an automatic yell, I grit my teeth and kick at the thing with everything I have. Its grip isn't secure enough around my leg, but I know it won't take long. With that kick, I feel my heel sink into the metal skull. One of the eyes stops glowing red, and the small victory is enough to release me.

Throwing myself out of the vehicle, I tuck and roll along the side of the road. I'm just in time, too. As I start to slide off the ravine, I manage to grab onto a small tree as I slide over the edge. The truck follows over me, and I see the red glowing eye as it tumbles down the cliff to its eventual resting place. I pull myself up to my chest and start to climb up over the edge when I see Sarah running towards me.

My leg burns every time I use it, and it throbs otherwise. But when she gets to me, all she does is frantically help me to solid ground. Her hands are shaking, but her grip is strong. Tears are on her face, but she can see. She's breathing heavily, but she still manages to say my name.

"Kyle," she tells me. "Give me your hand. Let me pull you up."

I take her hand, and together we manage to pull me up. As soon as my face hits the ground, her arms are wrapped around me to turn me over. Our lips meet in hurried, panicked kisses. Our hands run over every inch of each other we can manage to get to. I don't know how to breathe until I know she's okay. We reassure ourselves for a moment before I finally let my hands sink into her hair. Pulling her lips to mine, she meets me. We soak ourselves in this embrace.

It's not long before Sarah pulls away from me and releases a punch to my face. I'm waiting for it, though. Ducking to the side, I grab her arm as it comes at me. She twists, trying to get her arm back. But I don't dare let it go. Instead, I pull her to me and in for another embrace. The tears on her face are making her sobs get louder, and I know she thought she lost me. I thought I was gone, too.

"I'm here, Sarah," I tell her as I pull her to me. "I'm here."

She curses me, but we both look towards the ravine as I sit up to examine my leg. The sound of a fire below catches my attention. Standing, I wince in pain.

"You're hurt," she says. Sarah wraps her arm around my waist as I use her for support.

"We need to keep moving," I say.

The ravine is steep. It's a ninety-five foot drop. The truck is on fire at the base of it, and I see the glowing machine as it moves through the flames. Its foot drags, and its skin is completely gone. At least it will be easy to spot from now on. Sarah sees the terminator, too, because her grip on me strengthens.

"Let's go," she tells me.

We make it about twenty feet before another set of squealing tires catches our attention. I recognize the vehicle Pops dropped us off in, and we wait along the side of the road. The machine stops for us, and we get into the back seat together. He gives Sarah a glance as if expecting a report.

"Another T-800," she says as she closes the door. "He's at the bottom of the ravine. We can catch him if we go now."

"Negative," Pops says. "Part of my missing files have been recovered. I have another high priority mission. My instructions are to take you and Kyle Reese to a location near here to await an arrival."

Sarah and I exchange a look between us, unsure if we trust this. Pops reaches to the seat beside him and hands Sarah a bag.

"Medical supplies are in here," he says. "The wound will be fine after wrapping. Tylenol is there along with water and food. We will be there in approximately five minutes."

She takes the bag and opens it. I notice her hands are shaking, so I gently take the supplies from her. Her eyes are still full of tears, but she doesn't protest. Instead, she watches me wrap my wound. As soon as it's done, I take the water and offer it to her. Sarah takes a long drink, and I manage to drink a gulp with the pills.

We arrive at our location. It's in the middle of a dense forest, and as we get out of the car I feel a change in the air. It feels electric. The wind increases, and bolts of energy come flying towards us. We wait, though. I realize someone else is traveling through time, but I have to wonder if this will be a friend or foe. I know Sarah feels the same way because she grips a gun at her side. She's ready to fight or flee, and she stands at a distance from Pops.

A ball of electric energy forms, and it takes out parts of trees and scorches the ground. As soon as it appears, though, it disappears. All that's left are two people. The woman stands first. She's a good bit taller than Sarah, but not nearly as tall as me. The man is also taller than Sarah but only slightly taller than the woman. Sarah's gun is on them immediately.

"Don't shoot!" the woman says.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't," Sarah says.

I stand beside her, and Pops immediately makes a move to disarm her. I try to stop him, but all it manages to do is make me his first priority. He pins me against a tree, but he doesn't kill me. Sarah aims her gun at Pops.

"No!" the woman yells. "Stop!"

At her command, Pops stops. We all do. She takes Sarah's gun and also aims it at Pops.

"Let him go," she says. "Now."

He does as he's told, and Sarah and I exchange nods as I walk closer to her.

"Who are you?" I ask.

"Sarah Connor, Kyle Reese," the woman says with a smile. "I'm Jane Washington, and this is Simon Harper. We are your reinforcements so to speak."

Sarah's gun raises again, but before she can do anything Pops stands between us and them. My mouth opens to say something to her, but I quickly shut it as Jane peeps around from behind him.

"Did you ever wonder who sent this guy to you in the first place?" she asks.

This disarms Sarah, and she watches the woman with a confused look. It has to match mine as I try to figure out who she is. I've never seen either of them before.

"We're all here for the same thing," the man – Simon – finally says. "To stop Skynet from being born."

"We're all on the same team," Jane says as she nods in agreement. "We can explain everything. All we need is a chance."

"And clothes," Simon says.

We all stand there for a moment. I don't even register that they're naked. All I register is that they look familiar, though I don't know who they are. She's got light brown hair with blue eyes, and he's got bright red hair and brown eyes. They have no features that would make them memorable for me. I see scars on their bodies, but nothing that looks like it's out of the ordinary. Pops puts out his hand to me, and Sarah nods for me to do it. I hand him the bag with all of our weapons and supplies. I make myself stay planted where I am for as long as it takes for them to dress. That's when I notice that Simon pulls a pair of glasses out of the bag. It makes me wonder how long Pops knew about this mission to get prescription glasses so quickly.

They hand the bag back to me, and I take it. My eyes meet Simon's as I stay between him and Sarah.

"So who are you, and how are you supposed to help us kill Skynet?"


	5. Chapter 5: Sarah

Winter is in full control as the cold air creates goosebumps along my skin. The moon is full tonight, a black circle surrounding it as it sits on its dark crown. The woman, Jane, does most of the talking. Simon interjects when needed, but seems content to let her take the lead.

"We're from the year 2030," Jane says. "We were sent to stop Skynet from advancing itself. Currently, the timeline has not only changed from the original, but Skynet has advanced its efforts to become independent."

Jane's eyes linger on Kyle when she speaks. It makes me uncomfortable, but I don't say anything. I try to stop my mind from wondering if they know each other.

"We thought we stopped it," Kyle says. If he knows her, he's not letting on. He must notice my chill because he leans against the car beside me. His arm brushes mine, and I realize he's making a strategic decision. "We wiped out most of it, but Pops says we didn't get all of it."

For the first time since their arrival, I look Pops in the eye. If he were human, I could see that he might look apologetic. Maybe I'm imagining it. I ignore whatever it is in his eyes.

"How do you know?" I ask him. "And what else are you programmed to do?"

For the first time, I feel betrayal hot on my face. I remind myself he's just a machine, but the machine is real to me. He's always been the only person I can trust. Because his sole purpose is to protect me. It's in his programming, and now that solid foundation is cracking. He knows the tone in my voice right now, so he knows there's a fight brewing even if no one else notices.

"My missing files were not missing," he says flatly. "They were locked."

My anger cannot be contained for much longer. It's boiling inside of me, ready to blow the lid off the pot.

"That's a pretty generic answer," I tell him in the same tone.

Our eyes stay connected, and I search him for some piece of hope that I can still trust him.

"Perhaps I can help," Simon says as he steps forward. My eyes dart to him, and I fire a look at him that dares him to continue. He backs down.

I can feel Kyle tensing beside me, but my eyes ignore everyone but Pops.

"What else are you hiding from me?"

My words have a small impact on him, but it's so miniscule that I'm almost positive I'm imagining it.

"My mission is and will always be to protect Sarah Connor," he says. "The second mission is to acquire Jane Washington and Simon Harper. My third mission is to assist in hindering Skynet's accelerated development."

At his last words, Kyle pushes himself off of the car to stand beside me. He has a similar reaction to mine. His face is set in disbelief.

"Hindering?" he asks Pops.

Pops straightens himself, preparing for a fight. His gaze goes from Kyle to me. I can tell from the years together that he's calculating his next move.

"Terminators can't self-destruct," Jane says. I tear my eyes away from Pops to look at her. She has a blazing look in her eyes. She looks stolid, like she's daring me to do something stupid and emotional. When I don't, she continues. "Skynet has to come online, Sarah. No matter what, that can't be changed. And it can't be changed because of him."

Now her head nods to Kyle. He takes a step toward her, but Simon is quick to pull a gun on him. I glance around, knowing we only had a handful of weapons. Pops doesn't move, even when I pull my gun on Simon.

"What do you mean that Judgment Day is my fault?" Kyle asks. "How?"

To her credit, Jane doesn't beat around the bush when she answers. She points to me without raising her voice.

"Because you always fall in love with her. Because you two always seem to be under the impression you can save the world before it needs saving. All it ever does is get you killed," she points first to Kyle and then to me when she continues, "…and you put into a mental institution. And now we have to put everything back together from your last jump forward."

"What are you talking about?" I ask. "He's alive, and I'm not crazy. We escaped without being caught. We aren't changing that."

My heart races at the mention of Kyle dying. I can't imagine it, especially now. I've only barely gotten to know him, but I want more. We both do, I think. When we slept together, it was more of a celebration that it was all over. It was a spur of the moment thing, but it didn't make our choice any less real. It doesn't make how I feel anything less than love, and I will fight to save him every time.

"Jane," Simon says her name, and he moves to her side. His gun is now at his side. "Let me try to say this in a less robotic way."

Simon seems to ignore the look she gives him. He turns away from her and approaches us.

"Several parts of the timeline were messed up when you two jumped to this year," he says. "For example, even if you were to suddenly become pregnant, John Connor's birth would take place in 2018. That's much too late. He can't have the destiny he has if he's that young. The war will be going on when he's too young. He will never save Kyle Reese. He will never get the necessary training from Sarah Connor." He stops here, but I can tell he almost says more. His eyes hesitate a moment too long on Jane, but she doesn't say anything. "But Skynet can't be killed with a terminator's help due to a self-preservation protocol put in after it captured and cloned John Connor."

This gets my and Kyle's attention. We exchange a wary glance but say nothing while we process this. John's alive. He wasn't the thing we saw earlier. He's somewhere out there.

"You that that was really him," Simon says. "It's understandable. Clones share powerful memories, so really he thought he was John Connor."

"So that's what it did when Skynet attacked him?" Kyle asks. "It didn't infect him?"

"No," Jane says. "That's why he didn't go insane like all the others. He only shared a fraction of John's memories. That made him easier to manipulate and infect."

"How do you know all of this?" I ask.

Jane and Simon exchange a glance and seem to come to an unspoken agreement.

"Because we found him in the research center," Jane says. "His identity was verified, and he is currently under a doctor's care for recovery."

It's not the detailed answer I wanted, so I raise my gun at her head.

"How do you know?" I ask again.

"Because I know the process they used," Simon says. "And it was verified by his most trusted advisor."

Again, this isn't the answer I'm looking for.

"No," I tell him. "His most trusted advisor is here." I jerk my head in Kyle's direction. "And if you two don't stop looking at each other, I will find a way to get the truth out of you. Even if it takes breaking every bone in your body."

Jane steps in front of Simon. Pops still hasn't moved, and my gun that was pointed at Simon is now pointed at her. She makes a run for it, and before I can fire off a shot Kyle pushes me out of the way. Jane tackles him to the ground, and Simon takes a few defensive steps backwards with his gun in the air. But I don't care. I hear the sounds of the fight behind me, but I grab Simon and put the gun to his head. I know Kyle can't really fight in his condition.

"Stop!" I yell. Jane sees that I have Simon. Her eyes become wide, and she drops Kyle to the ground. Pops takes Kyle by the arm when he sees Jane start walking towards me. But I grab Simon's neck and press on his jugular. He lets out a cry of pain that makes Jane stop in her tracks.

"Start talking," I command.

Simon whimpers, but I don't let up. Jane looks from him to me, and finally she raises her arms and sighs. With that heavy breath comes heavy words I don't think I'm ready for.

"In six months, Skynet will rise again."

And then she spills the rest of it.

"Instead of 3 billion people, it's more like 6 billion people will die. Skynet has sent terminators back in time to not only ensure its existence, but also to procure parts and materials that will be lost in the nuclear war. We are here to make sure those things don't happen. This is actually our last stop on our mission. Simon is an engineer. He and your Pops can build the time displacement equipment for you, Kyle and John to return to your time. You will raise him and train him together. Until we can build the device, we have several terminators running around here that need to be disposed of."

There's so much information in her speech that I don't know where to start. Kyle stands beside me, and as my eyes find his he nods his head in agreement. I feel like I'm going to be sick at the thought that I can't stop Skynet from being born. When I look at Pops, all I want to do is turn away. But I can't. Instead, I quietly nod when Jane suggests we all leave for a safe house she acquired a few years ago on a mission.

The way she talks makes my head hurt, but I follow numbly. Kyle's hand brushes against mine, and he limps on his injured leg. I wrap my arm around him and let him use me for support. Pops opens the door for me, and for a second I hesitate. Our eyes meet as first me, then Kyle get into the car. As he settles in beside me, my head leans against his shoulder. He wraps a protective arm around me, and together we curl into each other.

"Long night," he whispers.

"Eventful," I reply.

"Get some rest," he tells me. "I'll keep an eye on things."

I want to let my guard down. I want to end this night the same way it started. But that can't happen. Not until I know he will be safe. Not until I know I can trust the other people in this vehicle. I watch the pair as they talk quietly with Pops in the front seat. Simon does a diagnostic check using verbal commands. Jane gives directions on where to go.

For the first time in a long time, I don't feel like I'm in control. I hate it.

Almost as much as I hate technology.


	6. Chapter 6: Kyle

The first few days in the safe house weren't so bad. It's the closest thing I'll ever be able to call home, and it makes me yearn for the days when everything will be over. My leg is healing, slowly. Jane is a capable doctor of sorts, though she has no formal training. She's gotten the wound cleaned up and healing nicely. But I still have a slight limp and pain that I only notice every now and then. Sarah is restless as she waits for the next two weeks to be over. That'll let us know if she's pregnant or not. I'm not sure how I feel about either possibility, so I keep my mouth shut when it comes up. She paces the walkway now, only to be driven back into our room by Pops as he heaves Simon into the attic.

"How's that going?" I ask Jane as she watches from down the hallway.

"We should be able to figure out a way to rig it so that it's motion censored," she says. "But the extra fancy stuff will come from Simon making it so that it'll emit an EMP when it senses anything other than Pops."

I nod my head, still preferring I'd gotten a dog. But with Pops around it wouldn't do much more than drive everyone crazy. Days of watching Jane and Simon made me on edge, and they were awkward together. He was laid back where she was uptight, and they tended to flip-flop between those roles. She was a fighter, but she stuck to herself for the most part. Simon tried to be more personable, but when asked about her he tensed up and left the room.

Sarah and I hadn't found any reason to trust them, but we also hadn't found a reason to not trust them. A loud bang above our room and Simon cursing as he dropped on top of Pops might have been the first time I've seen Jane smile. The chemistry between the two was palpable sometimes, like now when she offered to clear out the rats that made him jump out of the attic. It's the only time they relax enough to be almost enjoyable, and I even catch myself laughing a little at them.

But not Sarah. She still sits and waits for the ability to shut our door. I turn back to her, still hesitant as we haven't touched each other since just a few days ago. The simple, primal need feels like it might electrocute me, and I turn to the trio in the hallway.

"We're going to go grab some food," I tell them. "We'll be back in a few hours."

"I'll take some more of that crappy Chinese food from the mall," Simon yells at me.

"I'll manage without food if that's what you're really getting," Jane says.

"No, I was thinking I'll just get Sarah out of the house," I tell them.

Pops nods his head in approval and makes like he's coming along.

"Alone," I say. "You three just stay here and install the security system."

"You have already mated with Sarah Connor," Pops says, much to the chagrin of everyone in the vicinity. "There is no need for intimacy any longer until she proves to be—"

"If you know what's good for you, you won't finish that," Sarah says behind me.

Brushing past me, she barrels down the hall in a quick walking pace. I glare at Pops.

"You should take protection," he says simply.

"I don't think I'm the one who needs protection right now," I tell him.

"The protection is not for you, Kyle Reese," he says.

"Tell him why she's mad, will you?" I tell Jane.

"Are you really relying on me for this?" Jane asks with one eyebrow raised.

It's true. Jane is more of a robot than human at times. I've seen her laugh, smile, and get angry. But she doesn't understand social cues or anything like that. Simon told me once that she had no parents in her upbringing, and she was trained to be a soldier by strict guardians. I'm still not sold that she isn't a robot.

I run after Sarah, who is sitting on the front porch stairs. The fresh air agrees with her, and she's already starting to relax a little bit.

"Where do you want to go?" she asks. "I can't imagine that they'll want much more than burgers."

"I don't care about what they want," I tell her. "You and I are going on a date."

"A date?" Sarah asks with raised eyebrows. "It's a little late for a date, considering I'm waiting to see if I'm pregnant."

"Which is exactly what we need to talk about," I say. "We have to figure this out. From everything we've been told, I should be dead, and you should still be back in the 80s. But here we are."

Sarah bites her lip, and I can't think of anything past the carnal need to take her right there on the stairs. But I suppress that feeling and hold out my hand to her. She takes it, and together we walk down to one of the cars. I open the door for her, doing everything my dad and John ever taught me about women. The thought of John makes my guts feel like they're rotting, but I shove that away too.

"You haven't answered me yet," I tell her. "Do you want to make this a date?"

A bashful smile slips across her face as she climbs into the car. Shutting the door behind her, I get into the driver's seat and start the car.

"Yes," she says quietly beside me. I turn to her as if I didn't hear her, and she repeats her answer louder. "Yes. Let's make this a date."

Her smile is contagious because I feel a stupid smile on my face. Together, we drive through the city until we make it to the park. Climbing out, we walk quietly along the grass, even taking our shoes off to enjoy the feeling. It's freezing cold, and the grass is mostly dead and dried up. Coming back from war, I don't think I'll ever take it for granted again.

"What if I'm not?" she asks finally.

"What if you are?" I counter.

"I want him," she says. "It's so weird to have never met the real John before but still love him and want him."

"No weirder than me being raised by my son," I remind her.

"We have a really screwed up family," she says. "But I still want it."

She reaches for my hand, and I meet her halfway. Pulling her to me, I brush my lips across her skin and notice goosebumps along her skin.

"Then we'll try again next time if you're not," I say.

"And maybe we should practice a bit, too," she says.

I take her face in my hands, and my mouth molds onto hers, sending electric shocks throughout my body as we seal our fates together.


	7. Chapter 7: Sarah

She doesn't say anything, but as Jane circles me she doesn't have to. My head is already filling itself with what I can only imagine are condescending thoughts. Her face is cold and calculating as it always is. She presses her fingers to her lips and stops when she comes to face me. She doesn't frown, but she doesn't smile either. Of course she wouldn't show any emotion on my least favorite activity: shopping.

Growing up, I've never liked going store to store for anything. The good thing about 2017 is that you can do it all online, but Jane insisted she come with me to look for clothes. So far, Simon has been able to figure out that Senator Francis Lloyd is the close friend of Danny Dyson, who founded Genisys. He knows that because in a not-so-distant future, Landers will announce his bid for technological exploration involving time travel. He will be ridiculed, and the project will be taken over by Skynet.

Kyle wasn't very happy with the decision to make me into the senator's assistant. He still doesn't like the idea of me being thrown into something like this without backup. Of course Pops also insisted, and he and Kyle made sure that Kyle was placed on the senator's security detail.

The dress I'm wearing is one of the many Jane has picked out in preparation for me starting as Senator Lloyd's executive assistant. It's a flowy design that sticks to me tightly to show off my curves. The fabric is a bright blue color, and it's not like anything I've ever worn. It's got an expensive price tag, but apparently Jane and Simon have been stockpiling money in places to fund their lives throughout time.

"I hate dresses," I tell Jane. I don't know if I really want her response or if I just want her to say something to make this less awkward.

"You hate anything that isn't black," she says. "Have you ever even tried to wear something with some color to it?"

I glare at her as she continues to circle me, adjusting the skirt a bit and pursing her lips together as she contemplates the outfit.

"We'll take this one, too," she says.

"That's five dresses," I tell her.

"There are five days in a work week," she points out. "And you can alternate between the pants and the dresses if it makes you feel better."

I'm in the dressing room before she starts going on again about my makeup. I've never been partial to the stuff; I consider it all a waste of time. But she insisted that I buy some and learn how to use it. She'd called it my war paint and said that this was the most used weapon of my gender during this time. She's not wrong. To have skipped over more than three decades, things weren't any better than I remember them. If anything, the world has evolved into chaos, and after catching up on the events that have transpired since the day I met Kyle it's no wonder Skynet wants to destroy humanity. I'm not even sure I want humanity to win sometimes.

On our way out, we pass by the maternity section. This makes my insides clinch, and I can't hide it. I stop there, wondering if I'm going to need anything from this section anytime soon. I see women with varying stages of pregnancy showing on their bodies, and it makes me want to cry. All I can do is think of John and how much I want him. It's an alien thought to me that I'm already in love with someone who doesn't exist yet to me.

"Are you okay?" Jane prods lightly. She's trying to be nice and sound concerned, but it still comes off a little harder than a normal person. I sigh and nod my head.

"Just thinking," I admit. "Wondering if I'll need these outfits soon."

My fingers brush against a black top. It all feels the same as any other top, but to me it's entirely different.

"You're worrying about if you aren't pregnant, if John will ever exist," she says.

"Is it that obvious?" I ask.

"Yes," she says plainly. Glancing at her, I nod and start to walk again. "But even if you aren't pregnant with him this time around, you will still give birth to him eventually."

"You can't know that," I tell her as she walks beside me.

This time, Jane stops. She has an odd look on her face, like she's trying to decipher the meaning of Shakespeare.

"I do," she says carefully. "Because I'm still here."

"I guess you're right," I tell her. "If he didn't exist, Kyle wouldn't be here either. I'm not good at the whole timeline and time travel stuff."

Like Kyle said, it makes my head hurt.


End file.
